Buyer Power and Power Buyers in Cellular SEP Licensing: Are There Implications for Competition?

September 11, 2025

Dr. David Teece joined a Dynamic Competition Initiative (DCI) panel to discuss the competition and antitrust implications of patent holdout, focusing on challenges posed by implementer holdout and the influence of powerful buyers in standard essential patent (SEP) licensing.

The webinar explored whether these dynamics raise concerns under competition policy, including potential monopsony effects, distortions in FRAND (fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory) licensing outcomes, and the broader impact on innovation incentives. Panelists discussed a recent paper on the topic from Dr. Teece, Kalyan Dasgupta, and Dante Quaglione.

Learn more.

Prepare for what's next.

ThinkSet magazine, a BRG publication, provides nuanced, multifaceted thinking and expert guidance that help today’s business leaders adopt a more strategic, long-term mindset to prepare for what’s next.